Heat distributing device



April 7, 1936- F. w. COLLIER 2,036,961

HEAT DISTRIBUTING DEVICE Original Filed Feb. 3, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 7, 1936. F. w. COLLIER HEAT DISTRIBUTING DEVICE 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Feb. 3,

ATTORN Y Patented Apr. 7, 1936 HEAT DISTRIBUTING DEVICE Frederick W. Collier, Boston. Mass, asslgnor to General Heating Equipment Company, Lynn,

Mass., a corporation Refiled for abandoned application Serial No. 425,659, February 3, 1930. This application June 9, 1933, Serial No. 675,053

1 Claim.

This application for Letters Patent is a re-flle of the application filed by me on February 3, 1930, Serial Number 425,659.

My invention comprises heat distributing apparatus which is positioned behind the baseboard in rooms of houses and is operative in combination with the baseboard and the open spaces behind the baseboard so that heat rays are radiated and reflected into the rooms in the manner hereinafter described.

As is well known, behind the baseboard are open spaces between the studding, it being usual in construction to fasten the baseboard to wooden strips on the faces of the studding. A moulding is usually added, which runs along the upper edge of the baseboard. By using the baseboard designed by me as part of my invention and which will be hereinafter described, a free space, wide enough for positioning the pipes or tubes therein, is provided in front of the studding so that there is a continuous space running along the walls of the room near the floor and behind the baseboard. It is in this space that I install my heat distributing system.

My device is used in the distribution of heat units created in hot water, steam and electrical heating systems. I provide metallic pipes or tubes and extend them in front of the studding to which they may be fastened by hangers or otherwise. A single line of pipes or tubes may be used; also, more than two lines for each room where conditions, such as the size of the room or other requirements make such use necessary or desirable. My preferred device comprises two lines of pipes or tubes afiixed to the faces of the studding. The lengths of the pipes or tubes depend upon the size and geographical position of the room with reference to sunlight and prevailing winds. I find that the most desirable position for the device is along the outer walls, that is to say, along the sides containing the windows. Also, a small room may need only a small amount of equipment and a large room a greater amount. Without limiting the scope of my invention, I prefer to extend my equipment along the entire length of all of the outer walls of a room, as I find this to be most eflicient and economical; but it is to be understood that I claim a greater or less length of equipment, positioned as hereinafter described, to be within the scope of my invention.

Before proceeding with the description of my invention and its operation, I desire to call attention to the drawings which accompany and are made a part of this application for a patent, in which Figure 1 represents a front elevation of my invention with the baseboard removed; Figure 2 represents the baseboard in position and partly broken away; Figure 3 is a cross-section on line X-Y in Figure 2; Figure 4 is a detail showing perforation in a blade, the metal being partly broken away; Figure 5 is a detail showing a blade in profile and the position of the metal broken away from the perforation; Figure-6 is a detail showing pipe or tube with blade bound thereto by collar; Figure 7 is a detail showing binding collar; Figure 8 is a detail showing corrugated blade; Figure 9 shows electric resistance wire and its insulation projecting from tubing; and Figure 10 is a diagrammatic representation of the reflection of heat rays from the blades.

The following description relates to the use of my device in the distribution of heat units created in hot water and steam heaters so that my invention may be clearly understood, but not for the purpose of limiting myself thereby to the exclusion of other means of creating heat.

Referring to the drawings, I are studs, 2 are spaces between studs l, 3 is a baseboard, 4 are' the heater, which is not shown as it may be of any common type; III is a joint for connecting pipes 6 and I with each other, H is means for aflixing pipes s and 1 to studs I, I2 is a moulding, l3 are blades, l4 are collars, l5 are screws f r tightening the collars, l6 are perforations in the blades, I! are metal strips broken away in making the perforations I6 in the blades, and I9 is the enamelled reflecting surface in spaces 2. The upper sides of the reflectors are sloped as shown in Figure 3 andthe upper blades are cut short to fit therein.

My device is made ready for use in the following manner: The blades l3 and collars H are assembled on pipes 6 and I so that the ends of the blades on pipe 6 are positioned between the ends of the blades on pipes 1 without touching. This is accomplished by the definite spacing provided by collars l4. Blades l3 are afflxed to pipes 6 and I by adjusting collars it over metallic pieces l1 and tightening screws Hi. In order to hold the blades tightly in position, the diameter M-M of perforation It in each blade is made slightly larger than diameter NN of the pipe (see Figure 5) and when blade i3 is fastened to the pipe by tightening collar M, the difference in diameter permits the metallic pieces to be held firmly against the pipe.

It is obvious that as many blades may be afilxed to the pipes as may be desired; also that by my construction any length of pipe to the full length of the baseboard may be provided and any amount less than the full length by cutting the pipes to the required length and affixing the desired.

number of blades thereto. It will be obvious also that my device may be used without the blades; which use, the other elements described herein being present, I claim to be within the scope of my invention.

The corrugated blade shown in Figure 8 provides extra surface for the purpose of my invention, that is to say, the radiation and reflection 01' heat rays. The blades may be used with or without corrugations. My preferred construction comprises the positioning of the blades so that blades without corrugations are positioned between blades with corrugations, such positioning of the blades resulting in more complete direct radiation and reflected radiation of heat rays than is provided by straight blades or by corrugated blades without such positioning. This is shown in Figure 10, which will be readily understood.

By lining the recesses behind the baseboard with a nonconductor of heat, as asbestos, and placing on the walls of the recesses a highly enamelled surface, loss of heat umts by absorption into the walls of the room is reduced to a. low

Baseboard 3 is preferably of metal ,and may be pressed to provide the desired shape and size for fitting into position. I bend the upper edge l8 of the baseboard at right angles to its face so that it may be sprung into position under moulding 12 and by this means or other suitable means,

' as by screws driven into studding, the baseboard may be held in place.

The width of the turned edge l8 and the thinness of the baseboard allow extra space between the faces of the studding and baseboard for positioning the pipes. I provide a plurality of openings 4 in the baseboard. These openings may be of any suitable shape and size. In the drawings I have shown one style of openings for illustrative purposes only, without limiting myself to that particular form of opening.

When the apparatus is set up as described herein and connected with the heater in the usual way and the heating medium passes through the pipes, some of the heat passes from the pipes and blades into the room through the openings in the baseboard by direct radiation. However, it is found in practice that a large proportion of heat rays emitted by the pipes and blades strikes against the nonconducting enameled walls of the reflecting spacesbehind the pipes and baseboard and are reflected therefrom into the room through the baseboard.

A modification of my invention is shown in Figure 9. This comprises the installation of metallic tubes 1, through which are passed electric resistance wires 20 enclosed in insulating material 2l. The ends of the resistance wire are connected with a. source of electrical supply (not shown). The operation of the device, that is to say, the distribution of heat units by radiation and reflected radiation of heat rays, is the same as above described.

I find in putting my invention into practice that in order to avoid convection and get a relatively large percentage of radiation and reflected radiation it is necessary that the temperature of the heating element should be in the lower ranges, such as provided in the use of hot water and steam, for the reason that if the temperature of the heating element rises too high the result is a large percentage of convection and a small percentage of radiation and reflected radiation. This should be avoided for the reason that convection from the heat rays results in air currents which carry the heat to the top of the room whereas the desired effect is to project the heat rays into the room along the floor. Consequently, when using electricity in the operation of my device I provide a sufficient length of resistance wire within the conductor to prevent the heat emitted by the resistance wire from rising above the temperature of steam.

Having described my invention, what I claim In a device of the class described, in combination, a. baseboard having apertures therein, a

chamber with heat reflecting back behind the baseboard, conductors positioned within the chamber, blades mounted on the conductors and in predetermined space relation to each other, means for connecting the conductors with a source of heat medium so that heat units pass therefrom through the walls of the conductors, the conductors being so positioned in relation to the reflecting surface of the back of the chamber that heat rays radiated from the conductors and blades radiate therefrom through the apertures in the baseboard and also are reflected from the reflecting surface of the back of the chamber through the apertures.

FREDERICK W. COLLIER. 

